bims-evares Biomed News
on Evaluation of research
Issue of 2025–10–26
24 papers selected by
Thomas Krichel, Open Library Society
  1. A bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited publications on pediatric flatfoot.
  2. A Bibliometric Study of Turkish-Authored Publications and Leadership Roles of Turkish Neurosurgeons in Major Neurosurgery Journals.
  3. 25-year analysis of gender and professional trends in authorship of highly cited articles in leading ophthalmology journals.
  4. Global Trends in the Neurosurgical Literature: A 20-Year Bibliometric Analysis by Country Income Group.
  5. First Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis of Male Aesthetic Surgery.
  6. Overview and current status of published research on cancer, sarcopenia and physical activity: A bibliometric analysis.
  7. A bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors worldwide.
  8. Growth in representation of Saudi scientists among Stanford's top 2 percent most-cited (2019-2023).
  9. Evolving Gender Gaps in Dental Anesthesiology: A Bibliometric Study of Anesthesia Progress.
  10. Integrated clinical research ensembles: A pathway to increased academic productivity.
  11. Gender distribution of anaesthesiology journal editorial boards and authorship by women: a bibliometric analysis.
  12. Trends and Characteristics of Retracted Articles in the Smoking Field: An Observational Study.
  13. Characteristics of retracted biomedical research papers from Latin American institutions.
  14. National-, institutional-, and individual-level determinants of dental research excellence: an analysis of Stanford-Elsevier lists of the top 2% scholars worldwide (2017-2023).
  15. Brazilian Public Universities' Contributions to Global COVID-19 Research: Publications, International Collaboration, and Impact.
  16. Analysis of Research Output by 2024 Matriculants to Top 30 Integrated Plastic Surgery Programs.
  17. A Decade in Print: The Evolving Academic Benchmark of Cardiology Fellowship Applications.
  18. A Systematic Review to Assess Gender Diversity in Authorship Within the Orthopaedic Surgery Literature.
  19. Where, when, and how FAIR do data from aquatic mesocosm experiments get published?
  20. Cost analysis of research publications and quality improvement initiatives at a tertiary hernia center over four years.
  21. H-Index and Promotion in Academic Radiation Oncology.
  22. A protocol for tracking scholarly output to evaluate the impact of the RADx-UP program on community-engaged COVID-19 research.
  23. Google Scholar tool gives extra credit to first and last authors.
  24. Iran's Orthopaedic Landscape: Distribution, Per-capita Ratios, Female Inclusion, and Academic Standing among Residents and Surgeons.
  1. J Pediatr Orthop B. 2025 Oct 22.
    A bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited publications on pediatric flatfoot.
    Tanya Boghosian, Arjun P Mehendale, Daniel E Pereira, Pooya Hosseinzadeh.
      Pediatric pes planovalgus (flatfoot) is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition characterized by the flattening of the medial arch of the foot. Despite its common occurrence, there is a lack of standardized diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis on the 100 most-cited papers on pediatric flatfoot to identify major research trends, including publication years, countries of origin, contributing institutions, prevalent keywords, common surgical treatments, and authorship patterns. This bibliometric analysis utilized the Web of Science Core Collection database by Clarivate Analytics to identify articles related to pediatric flatfoot using keywords. The 100 most-cited articles were manually selected and analyzed using the VOSviewer software to create network visualization maps. The 100 most-cited articles were published between 1951 and 2019, with the number of citations ranging from 26 to 299. The number of influential papers published increased in the 2000s, and the majority were published in the 2010s (57%). The USA was the most productive country (31 publications), the University of South Australia was the most productive institution (eight publications), and Evans AM was the most productive author (seven publications). Calcaneal osteotomy was the most studied procedure (14 publications, 782 citations), predominantly in North America. Subtalar arthroereisis was the focus of seven publications (462 citations), mostly coming from Europe. There was a notable expansion in research on pediatric flatfoot in recent years. There were major geographic differences in the approach to treatment for calcaneal osteotomy vs. subtalar arthroereisis.
    Keywords:  bibliometric analysis; calcaneal osteotomy; evidence; pediatric flatfoot; pes planovalgus; subtalar arthroereisis
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/BPB.0000000000001298
  2. World Neurosurg. 2025 Oct 17. pii: S1878-8750(25)00935-0. [Epub ahead of print] 124577
    A Bibliometric Study of Turkish-Authored Publications and Leadership Roles of Turkish Neurosurgeons in Major Neurosurgery Journals.
    Halil İbrahim Topuz, Selin Bozdag, İsmail Ertan Sevin, Hasan Kamil Sucu.
       OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the contribution of Turkish authors to the main neurosurgical literature, with a focus on the leadership roles of Turkish neurosurgeons, by analyzing publications in the ten most influential neurosurgery journals between 2015 and 2024.
    METHODS: A total of 46,616 articles from the top neurosurgery journals-ranked by impact factor-were reviewed. Data on Turkish authorship, authorship position, specialty, article type, subspecialty, and affiliation were collected.
    RESULTS: Among the reviewed articles, 1226 (2.63%) included at least one Turkish author; 1033 (84.3%) involved at least one Turkish neurosurgeon. Turkish authors held first and last authorship in 68.2% and 68.6% of these articles, respectively, with both positions occupied in 58.7%. Most contributions were original research (69.4%). Subspecialty analysis showed strong representation in general neurosurgery, neurovascular, and spine, while functional and pediatric neurosurgery were underrepresented. While 62.5% of articles were produced solely in Turkey, 37.5% involved international institutions, most frequently from the United States and Germany. Turkish contribution varied significantly by journal (p<0.001), but not by quartile (p=0.328) or impact factor (p=0.1600).
    CONCLUSIONS: Turkish neurosurgeons consistently contribute to the global neurosurgical literature, especially through original research and leadership roles. Enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration and increasing visibility in high-impact journals will be key to expanding the academic presence of Turkish neurosurgery.
    Keywords:  Turkish neurosurgeons; academic publishing; authorship trends; bibliometric analysis; neurosurgery
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2025.124577
  3. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2025 Oct 21. 11206721251388307
    25-year analysis of gender and professional trends in authorship of highly cited articles in leading ophthalmology journals.
    Angelica Piccini, Amaal Khan, Donald Solomon.
      PurposeUnderstanding trends in female researcher representation can inform strategies to improve equity in academic ophthalmology. This study evaluates authorship and citation trends over 25 years amongst the highest-cited articles in leading ophthalmology journals to assess female co-authorship and differences in authors' degrees in publications at a highly visible research level.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 443 authors who published the most highly cited articles in high-impact journals from 2000 to 2024. Articles were chosen as the three most cited articles per year from the three highest-impact ophthalmology journals per h5-index. Identities were confirmed via institutional websites, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Gender and degrees were determined using professional profiles. Outcomes included authorship position, first-last author pairings, citation impact, and differences in authors' degrees by gender.ResultsFrom 2000 to 2024, female first authorship rose 38.11%, and overall authorship 43.73%. Female last authorship, though lowest, increased the most (53.63%). Female co-authorship and overall representation peaked in 2010-2014. Male first-authored papers had more citations (p = 0.011) and were 9.36 times more likely to involve same-gender mentors (CI [4.56, 19.23], p < 0.00001). Men were more often ophthalmologists; women more frequently held PhDs, PharmDs, or ODs (p = 0.0036).ConclusionsFemale authorship is rising, but citation gaps and underrepresentation persist. Non-physician female research and female co-authorship success suggest mentorship and interdisciplinary work may enhance women's visibility in ophthalmology research. Continued interventions to promote female ophthalmic career networks are essential in closing the gender gap in research and fostering equitable professional advancement.
    Keywords:  Gender equity; academic ophthalmology; authorship; mentorship; publication trends
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1177/11206721251388307
  4. Neurosurgery. 2025 Oct 23.
    Global Trends in the Neurosurgical Literature: A 20-Year Bibliometric Analysis by Country Income Group.
    Khushi H Shah, Maxon V Knott, Adham M Khalafallah, Ricardo J Komotar, Allan D Levi, Victor M Lu.
       BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite growing global interest in neurosurgical equity, research output remains concentrated in high-income countries (HICs), with limited representation from lower-middle-income countries (LMICs). Although the global neurosurgery movement has highlighted these disparities, its impact on authorship and research equity is unclear. This study uses bibliometric analysis to evaluate 20-year trends in neurosurgical publications, focusing on authorship patterns across World Bank income groups.
    METHODS: A bibliometric analysis of publications with topic of "neurosurgery" indexed in the Web of Science database from 2005 to 2024 was conducted. Author affiliations were categorized by World Bank income classifications: HIC, upper-middle-income countries, LMICs, and low-income countries (LICs). Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients were used to assess inequality in research output, and the Mann-Kendall trend test evaluated trends over time.
    RESULTS: A total of 27 391 neurosurgical publications from 170 countries were analyzed. HICs contributed 80.55% of overall authorship and 77.16% of corresponding authorship. By contrast, LICs contributed just 2.54% of overall authorship and 0.33% of corresponding authorship. Multicountry collaborations accounted for 26.13% of all publications, of which 95.37% included HIC authors, whereas only 9.14% included LIC authors. From 2005 to 2024, the share of corresponding authorship from HICs declined from 86.16% to 58.88%, whereas contributions from upper-middle-income countries, LMICs, and LICs rose significantly (P < .001). Overall, Gini coefficients improved from 0.74 in 2005 to 0.61 in 2023, indicating a modest but statistically significant reduction in research inequality over time (tau = -0.79, P < .001).
    CONCLUSION: Despite a 4-fold increase in publication volume and rising international collaboration, neurosurgical research remains heavily dominated by HICs. While authorship equity has modestly improved over the past 2 decades, disparities remain stark, especially for LICs. These findings highlight the need for targeted, sustainable efforts to promote equitable research partnerships, capacity building, and lower-middle-income country leadership in global neurosurgery.
    Keywords:  Bibliometrics; Global neurosurgery; High-income country; Low-income country; Lower-middle–income country; Upper-middle–income country
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1227/neu.0000000000003827
  5. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2025 Oct 24.
    First Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis of Male Aesthetic Surgery.
    Siddig Ibrahim Abdelwahab, Manal Mohamed Elhassan Taha, Abdullah Farasani, Saleh M Abdullah, Jobran M Moshi, Nizar A Khamjan, Abrar Fahad Alshahrani, Zenat A Khired, Ahmad Assiri, Ibrahim Abdel Aziz Ibrahim, Saeed Alshahrani, Amal Mayudh Alhusayni, Muhammad H Sultan, Ali Elamin, Abdelkhalig Hussein Elhilu, Waseem Hassan.
       BACKGROUND: This study presents the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of male aesthetic surgery.
    METHODS: In January 2025, data were retrieved from the Scopus database, covering publications from 1949 to 2024.
    RESULTS: For 2684 papers, the annual publication trends, along with the most productive contributors, are summarized in six supplementary tables. Regional disparities in research output, spanning Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa, are illustrated in Supplementary Fig. 1. Furthermore, the study explored publication dynamics across 28 distinct research areas related to male aesthetic surgery, with detailed findings presented in Supplementary Tables 7-34. The study also examined the top 100 most cited papers (Supplementary Table 35). Author impact metrics, including the number of publications, total citations, h-index, g-index, m-index, hg-index, and q2 index, were calculated (Supplementary Table 37). Additionally, author collaboration networks were mapped (Supplementary Fig. 2), and the evolution of scholarly relationships over time was visualized (Supplementary Fig. 3). Institutional contributions (Supplementary Table 38), their research dynamics (Supplementary Fig. 4), and departmental collaboration networks (Supplementary Fig. 5) were also highlighted. Similarly, the top contributing countries, their publication dynamics, and international collaboration patterns are shown in Supplementary Table 39 and Supplementary Fig. 67. Leading sources of publication were also assessed (Supplementary Table 40). To explore research focus, a co-words analysis was conducted (Fig. 1). Additionally, unigram (Fig. 2), bigram (Fig. 3), and trigram (Fig. 4) analyses were performed. Thematic evolution of the top 100 most cited papers was also investigated, showcasing shifts in research focus over time.
    CONCLUSION: These findings may serve as a valuable foundation for future research efforts and clinical advancements in the field of male aesthetic surgery.
    NO LEVEL ASSIGNED: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
    Keywords:  Bibliometrics; Male aesthetic surgery; Scopus; Top 100 most cited; Top contributors
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-025-05321-w
  6. AIMS Public Health. 2025 ;12(3): 632-656
    Overview and current status of published research on cancer, sarcopenia and physical activity: A bibliometric analysis.
    J A Parraca, D Salas-Gómez, R Dinis, A Denche-Zamorano, A Vega-Muñoz, P Tomas-Carus.
       Introduction: Cancer is a global health problem; the presence of secondary symptoms such as sarcopenia in cancer patients is relatively common. Physical activity (PA) is notable for its protective role against sarcopenia; however, there is currently no bibliometric analysis of research related to cancer, sarcopenia, and physical activity.
    Methods: A search on the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database was performed on this topic, and a bibliometric analysis of the identified publications was performed using traditional bibliometric laws.
    Results: 121 publications were found. Annual publications presented an exponentially growing trend from 2012 to 2023 (R2 = 91%). The United States of America was the country with the most documents worldwide. Newton, R. U. and Galvao, D. A. were highlighted as the most prolific and prominent co-authors. The Cancers and Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle were the journals with the highest number of published documents. 36 papers, having 37 or more citations, were the most cited papers. The author keywords and keywords Plus® identified thematic clusters related to research on this topic, such as cancer, physical activity, aging, muscle, skeletal muscle, osteoporosis, malnutrition, body composition, cachexia, survival, and frailty.
    Conclusion: Research on cancer, sarcopenia, and physical activity has followed an exponential growth trend, which reveals growing interest in the topic. Significant authors and collaborative groups in the field were identified, as well as the journals and countries with the highest number of publications and the research trends most followed by researchers.
    Keywords:  loss mass; neoplasia; physical function; physical inactivity; quality of life; review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3934/publichealth.2025033
  7. Brain Spine. 2025 ;5 105608
    A bibliometric analysis of the top 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors worldwide.
    Alaa Samkari, Abdulaziz Hamzah, Badr Hafiz, Fayez Alshehri, Anfal Aman Felimban, Tarfah Bassam Albedaiwi, Obada Ahmad Banjar, Abdullah Bandar Alsharif, Hani Mahboob.
       Background: Pineal parenchymal tumors are rare central nervous system neoplasms, accounting for less than 1 % of all CNS tumors. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most cited articles on pineal parenchymal tumors to identify research trends and highlight influential contributions. Tumor types analyzed included pineocytoma, pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation (PPTID), pineoblastoma, and papillary tumor of the pineal region (PTPR), along with the recently classified desmoplastic myxoid tumor, SMARCB1-mutant. To our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric analysis dedicated to pineal parenchymal tumors.
    Methodology: Articles were identified through the Web of Science database without time restriction, screened by title, keyword, and abstract. Tumor categorization followed the WHO 5th edition for CNS tumors. Articles discussing non-parenchymal pineal region tumors were excluded. Citation count determined article selection. Data collected included publication year, authorship, journal source, study category, pathology focus, and article type. Data collection and analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
    Results: A total of 573 articles were retrieved; the top 100 were analyzed, totaling 3845 citations. These articles were published in 42 journals from 16 countries and 74 institutions. The oldest article was published in 1970 and the most recent in 2021. Acta Neuropathologica contributed the most publications (14). The United States accounted for the highest number of articles (34) and citations (1,326). Histopathology was the most studied category (36 %), and case reports and series were the predominant article types. The papillary tumor of the pineal region was the most frequently discussed pathology.
    Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis reveals a dominance of histopathological studies and reveals critical gaps in clinical studies, surgical management, and patient outcomes. Targeted future research in these areas is needed to improve diagnosis, management, and patient care.
    Keywords:  Bibliometric analysis; Bibliometric study; Citation analysis; Desmoplastic myxoid tumor; Pineal parenchymal tumor; Pineoblastoma; Pineocytoma
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bas.2025.105608
  8. Front Res Metr Anal. 2025 ;10 1685185
    Growth in representation of Saudi scientists among Stanford's top 2 percent most-cited (2019-2023).
    Luluah Altukhaifi, Nouf Alturaiki, Khaled Al-Hadyan.
      Global citation-based databases, such as Stanford University's Top 2% Scientists (SUD2%) database, offer powerful tools for tracking high-impact researchers. Despite Saudi Arabia's growing investment in scientific research, a longitudinal analysis of its presence in these elite citation rankings has been lacking. This study provides the first 5-year analysis (2019-2023) of Saudi-affiliated scientists listed in the SUD2% (single-year category), evaluating their growth in numbers, performance indicators, disciplinary distribution, and gender representation. Data were extracted from Elsevier's Mendeley-hosted SUD2% dataset. The key bibliometric metrics under analysis included the average composite citation score (C-score), citation rank, total citations, and h-index. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA on ranks was used to assess statistical differences between Saudi-affiliated and global scientists. Gender classification was performed using NamSor, based on validated confidence thresholds. The number of Saudi-affiliated scientists in the SUD2% nearly tripled from 556 in 2019 to 1,684 in 2023. Significant gains were also observed in average C-scores (p = 0.003), citation ranks (p = 0.002), total citations (p = 0.001), and h-indices (p = 0.025). Disciplinary analysis revealed continued dominance in clinical medicine, chemistry, and biomedical research. Gender analysis revealed male dominance (93.9%) over the 5-year period, although female representation increased from 5.0% in 2019 to 7.3% in 2023. Saudi Arabia's scientific community is making statistically significant progress in high-impact research, evidenced by increasing representation and improved citation metrics in global SUD2% rankings. While gaps remain-particularly in gender representation and individual citation ranks-trends point toward sustained momentum and broadening institutional participation in global research excellence.
    Keywords:  Saudi Arabia; Stanford's top 2 percent most-cited scientists; bibliometric analysis; citation metrics; h-index
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2025.1685185
  9. Cureus. 2025 Sep;17(9): e92606
    Evolving Gender Gaps in Dental Anesthesiology: A Bibliometric Study of Anesthesia Progress.
    Atsuki Yamaguchi, Shota Tsukimoto, Hidetaka Kuroda, Aiji Sato-Boku, Ryo Wakita, Takuro Sanuki.
      Closing the gender gap or achieving gender equality is a common goal in many fields. Achieving gender equality has positive impacts, such as increased diversity and specialized knowledge. A gender gap has been observed across various medical specialties, although recent trends suggest a gradual improvement in gender balance. Understanding the gender ratio in academic publications within this field can be considered essential for developing strategies to address gender disparities in dental anesthesiology academia. However, to date, no investigations have examined trends in authorship by gender in dental anesthesiology. We hypothesized that the gender gap in dental anesthesiology academic publications would also narrow. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the gender of the first author in Anesthesia Progress, the longest-running and most prolific journal in dental anesthesiology, over two periods. A total of 209 articles published between 2000 and 2003 and between 2020 and 2023 were collected from the Scopus database. For all collected articles, data including "first author," "affiliation (country)," and "article type" were extracted. The first author was classified as female or male; the affiliation (country) as US, Japan, or other countries; and the type of article as "Review," "Scientific report," or "Case report." Statistical analyses were performed using numerical data on the number of articles by gender and time period. Pearson's chi-square test or Yates' continuity-corrected chi-square test was applied with a significance level of 5%. The percentage of articles with female first authors increased significantly, from 19.2% (10/52) in the 2000s to 34.0% (49/144) in the 2020s (P = 0.046). By country, the percentage of female first authors decreased in the US but increased in Japan and other countries. Notably, in Japan, the proportion of female first authors rose significantly from 1.9% (1/52) in the 2000s to 22.2% (32/144) in the 2020s (P = 0.002). Regarding the types of articles submitted by female first authors, the number of "Scientific report" articles markedly decreased in the US, whereas the number of "Case report" articles significantly increased in Japan. The investigation revealed that the gender gap in dental anesthesiology has narrowed in terms of total representation; however, the extent of this gap differs from country to country. Regular statistical bibliometric analyses could provide more insights into closing the gender gap.
    Keywords:  academic publications; bibliometric analysis; dental anesthesiology; female first authors; gender gap
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.92606
  10. J Clin Transl Sci. 2025 ;9(1): e209
    Integrated clinical research ensembles: A pathway to increased academic productivity.
    Sergey Tarima, John R Meurer, David Friedland, Ndidiamaka Ojiako, Michael Anello, David Zimmerman, Renee McCoy, Reza Shaker.
       Introduction: The study objective was to evaluate whether the formation and funding of team science-guided Integrated Clinical Research Ensembles (ICREs) enhance individual faculty productivity, measured by publication and impact factor adjusted citation rates. The setting was a multi-institutional NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award-supported hub.
    Methods: Monthly faculty publication and impact factor adjusted citation rates were analyzed using data extracted from the hub-managed Faculty Collaboration Database (FCD). The FCD imports indexed publications for all faculty members across four academic institutions, drawing from PubMed and faculty curriculum vitae. Monthly publication counts were modeled using Poisson regression, fitted using generalized estimating equations to account for clustering of observed monthly publication rates of individual faculty. Publication rates were compared before and after ICRE formation and funding, and between faculty in and outside ICREs.
    Results: Before joining ensemble teams, ICRE faculty had an 87% higher monthly publication rate than non-ICRE faculty. As ICREs were funded, the monthly publication rate increased an average 72% compared to baseline levels and future citation rates determined by journal impact factors increased by 150%.
    Conclusions: Faculty publication and citation rates significantly increased following ICRE funding, demonstrating the potential of structured team science models to boost academic productivity and influence. Faculty inclined to participate in team science through formalized ICREs were already among the more productive faculty.
    Keywords:  Integrated Clinical Research Ensembles; academic productivity; interdisciplinary collaboration; publication metrics; team science
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2025.10130
  11. Br J Anaesth. 2025 Oct 23. pii: S0007-0912(25)00671-3. [Epub ahead of print]
    Gender distribution of anaesthesiology journal editorial boards and authorship by women: a bibliometric analysis.
    Aslihan Gulec Kilic, Selin Erel, Tuba Dulger, Mia Gisselbaek, Joana Berger-Estilita, Sarah Saxena.
      
    Keywords:  academic anaesthesiology; diversity; equity; gender; inclusion
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2025.09.020
  12. Open Respir Arch. 2025 Oct-Dec;7(4):7(4): 100496
    Trends and Characteristics of Retracted Articles in the Smoking Field: An Observational Study.
    José Ignacio de Granda-Orive, Carlos A Jiménez-Ruiz, Rafael Aleixandre-Benavent, Daniel López-Padilla, Carlos Rábade-Castedo, Miguel Jiménez-Gómez, Adolfo Alonso-Arroyo.
       Objective: The aim was to examine reasons for retraction and rates of article retraction in the field of smoking.
    Material and methods: We conducted an observational study and searched the largest database of articles that have been retracted.
    Results: We found 83 papers that were retracted from 1988 to 2024. According to the type of document (documents typologies), the majority were original articles (74 papers). The 83 documents have been retracted in 65 different journals. The retracted papers' citation counts were examined by searching Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus, and we have observed that a quarter (26.5%) of the 68 articles available in the WoS database had increased their citations, despite the fact that they were retracted works. The reasons for retraction were unreliable, inconsistent, erroneous, or missing data or an incorrect conclusion; duplication of previously published articles; duplication of images into the articles or in previous articles; conflicts of interest; the ethical/plagiarism policy and authorship issues concerns; fake peer reviews; data falsification/data error; articles retracted at the authors' request; and unknown causes of retraction and journal publisher's error.
    Conclusions: Unreliable, inconsistent, inaccurate, or missing data; an incorrect conclusion; or duplication/already published articles; duplication of images; and conflicts of interest are the main causes of retractions. Retracted articles have been increasing in number over the years, and additionally, the amount of time that passes between an article's publication and retraction is getting shorter. We verify that retracted articles indeed continue to gain citations after the retraction, some even more than before.
    Keywords:  Bibliometric analysis; Research; Retraction; Scientific misconduct; Smoking; Tobacco
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.opresp.2025.100496
  13. Rev Saude Publica. 2025 ;pii: S0034-89102025000100223. [Epub ahead of print]59 e25
    Characteristics of retracted biomedical research papers from Latin American institutions.
    Jorge Andres Ramos-Castaneda, Cristina Candal-Pedreira, Mónica Pérez-Ríos, Ana Teijeiro, Alberto Ruano-Ravina, Guadalupe García.
       OBJECTIVE: To characterize retractions of biomedical research papers that had a least one author affiliated with a Latin American (LATAM) institution.
    METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of retracted research papers published in scientific journals focusing on the field of biomedical research and identified by means of the Retraction Watch database. The retracted articles identified were required to have at least one author whose institutional affiliation was in a LATAM country. Data were collected on the authors' countries and institutional affiliations, the reason for retraction, dates of publication and retraction, indexing, journal quartile and impact factor. Reasons for retraction were categorized into three major groups, i.e., scientific misconduct, error, and not specified.
    RESULTS: According to Retraction Watch, 181 papers were retracted across 1987-2024 which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina were the countries that had a retraction rate above 1 per 10 thousand papers throughout the study period. The principal reason for retraction was scientific misconduct (63.0%) followed by honest error (21.5%). The main causes of retraction due to scientific misconduct were ethical and legal problems (33.1%), followed by fabrication/falsification (20.2%).
    CONCLUSION: The number of retractions in some LATAM countries, mainly due to scientific misconduct, highlights the need to strengthen ethical practices in research. Future initiatives should focus on developing and evaluating effective strategies to prevent misconduct and promote scientific integrity.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2025059006328
  14. Front Oral Health. 2025 ;6 1675102
    National-, institutional-, and individual-level determinants of dental research excellence: an analysis of Stanford-Elsevier lists of the top 2% scholars worldwide (2017-2023).
    Abanoub Riad.
       Background: Research excellence, distinct from productivity, is a key criterion in science policy and institutional evaluation. This study examined global distribution and determinants of dental research excellence using the Stanford-Elsevier Lists (SEL) of the top 2% most-cited scientists.
    Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using SEL datasets from 2017 to 2023. The analysis followed an ecological model consisting of three layers of independent variables: national-level indicators (macroeconomic metrics, oral disease burden, and development indices), institutional rankings, and individual-level variables (gender and academic age) were analysed. Descriptive statistics, multivariable regressions, and mixed-effects models were applied.
    Results: The analysis demonstrated a markedly uneven global distribution of excellent dental scholars (EDS), with 96.1% and 88.9% of career-long and single-year EDS, respectively, based in high-income countries. English-speaking countries dominated, reflecting historical and linguistic biases. Institutional elitism was apparent, with 20 universities accounting for nearly one-fifth of all EDS worldwide. Gender disparities persisted, with women comprising only 14.8% (career-long) and 18.1% (single-year). Academic age consistently predicted scholarly metrics more strongly than gender. EDS numbers correlated positively with macroeconomic indicators, particularly R&D investment, while oral disease burden was negatively correlated.
    Conclusions: Dental research excellence is disproportionately concentrated in high-income, English-speaking countries and elite institutions. Historic gender disparities remain, though narrowing trends are noticeable. The observed misalignment between oral disease burden and research excellence highlights the need for inclusive, needs-based research investment.
    Keywords:  academia; career ladder; dental education; dental research; gender equity; global burden of disease; health policy; macroeconomic factors
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2025.1675102
  15. An Acad Bras Cienc. 2025 ;pii: S0001-37652025000400703. [Epub ahead of print]97(4): e20250372
    Brazilian Public Universities' Contributions to Global COVID-19 Research: Publications, International Collaboration, and Impact.
    Karinne Marieta Carvalho, Roniberto M DO Amaral, Leandro I L DE Faria, Vanessa M Sígolo, Pedro F Arantes, Soraya S Smaili, Débora Foguel.
      The Brazilian scientific community, primarily composed of public universities and research institutes, played a fundamental role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates Brazil's contribution to the global body of knowledge on COVID-19 through publications in scientific journals. Specifically, it analyzes bibliometric indicators of Brazilian scientific publications on COVID-19 between 2019 and 2023, as indexed in the Scopus database. The results demonstrate: 1) there was a global effort to understand the SARS-CoV-2 virus, resulting in significant scientific production; 2) the proportion of publications on the topic was higher in Brazil than in the rest of the world; 3) Brazilian research on COVID-19 covered several knowledge domains; 4) the proportion of joint publications by Brazilian and international scholars was higher on COVID-19 than on other topics; 5) Brazilian public universities responded to the challenge of COVID-19 research, engaging more with international collaboration networks and achieving a higher impact with their publications. The study highlights the importance of national scientific research in shaping public policies and in addressing global health crises. Despite political and funding challenges, the efforts of the Brazilian scientific community were remarkable, reinforcing the importance of sustained investment in science, technology, and innovation.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202520250372
  16. Ann Plast Surg. 2025 Nov 01. 95(5): 566-569
    Analysis of Research Output by 2024 Matriculants to Top 30 Integrated Plastic Surgery Programs.
    Mark M Shimanov, Eli Berglas, Aaron B Lavi, Nicole E Gladstein, David Musheyev, Rachel Berglas, Melody Eckert, Agampreet Singh, John Layliev.
       BACKGROUND: This study aimed to characterize the quality and quantity of the research output of matriculants in the top 30 Integrated Plastic Surgery residency programs.
    METHODS: PubMed-indexed publications co-authored by students who successfully matched at the top 30 integrated plastic surgery programs were collected. Publication metrics were compared between sexes and between students matching at top 10 programs and those matching into programs ranked 11 through 30. The metrics that were compared between groups were total, 1st author, top 3 author, plastic surgery-related, plastic surgery-related 1st author, basic science, and clinical publications.
    RESULTS: The mean number of publications was 7.3 ± 6.6 of which 4.2 ± 5.3 were related to plastic surgery. No significant differences were found when comparing students based on the rank of the program in which they matched. However, there were sex differences as males (M = 9.4 ± 7.7) published significantly more total papers than females (M = 5.8 ± 5.3), P = 0.015. Males (M = 6.9 ± 5.8) also appeared as a top 3 author more frequently than females (M = 4.3 ± 4.3), P = 0.018. Lastly, males (M = 1.2 ± 1.5) published more basic science papers than females (M = 0.5 ± 1.4), P = 0.030.
    CONCLUSIONS: With the transition to United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 pass/fail grading, research productivity within the field of plastic surgery has increased among medical student applicants seeking to match into an Integrated Plastic Surgery residency program.
    Keywords:  NRMP Match; PubMed index; medical education; research graduate; research production; step 1
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/SAP.0000000000004431
  17. Cureus. 2025 Sep;17(9): e92810
    A Decade in Print: The Evolving Academic Benchmark of Cardiology Fellowship Applications.
    Ali Abolhassani, Touré Jones, Arjun N Bhatt, Jackson McClain, Asim Ahmed, Jennifer Davis, Monique Bethel.
      Background Research output has become an increasingly important criterion for competitive fellowship applications. While prior studies have quantified this trend in other specialties, the same has not been done for cardiology fellowships. Objective The primary objective of this study is to compare pre-fellowship research productivity among incoming cardiology fellows from the Classes of 2017 and 2027, and assess any significant changes in research output between the cohorts. The secondary objective is to evaluate the associations between degree type, institutional mobility, and geographic continuity and research output in the two cohorts.  Methods This retrospective cohort study included cardiology fellows from two cohorts, 10 years apart, at 10 of the top 25-ranked United States cardiology programs selected from Doximity reputation rankings (Doximity, Inc., San Francisco, California, United States). Biographical data were obtained from publicly available fellowship program websites and Doximity profiles. PubMed was utilized to quantify research output prior to fellowship entry. The primary outcomes were the total number of publications, first-author publications, and cardiology-related ("in-specialty") publications. Results Among 155 fellows, the mean total number of publications increased from 2.67±3.22 in 2017 to 7.18±9.34 in 2027 (p<0.001). First-authorships increased from 1.35±2.25 to 2.54±3.30 (p<0.001), and in-specialty publications rose from 1.79±2.90 to 4.81±8.58 (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that the 2027 cohort was significantly more likely to have one or more publications (OR 10.19; p < 0.001). Degree type, institutional transitions, and geographic mobility were not significant predictors of the outcome. Conclusions Cardiology fellowship applicants in 2027 had markedly higher research output compared to the class of 2017. This trend mirrors patterns in other competitive specialties and indicates a growing emphasis on scholarly productivity in the selection processes. Subgroup patterns should be considered exploratory, given the small sample sizes. These findings also raise questions about equitable access to research opportunities and the potential emergence of barriers to scholarly output among aspiring cardiologists.
    Keywords:  cardiology; education equity; fellowship training; research & development; scholarly output
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.92810
  18. Indian J Orthop. 2025 Oct;59(10): 1644-1654
    A Systematic Review to Assess Gender Diversity in Authorship Within the Orthopaedic Surgery Literature.
    Bryn O Zomar, Tarini Boparai, Erin You, Kendra Jackson, Natalie South, Emily K Schaeffer.
       Background: Gender diversity trends in orthopaedic research are dynamic. While an increase of women in orthopaedics has been observed, gender imbalances continue to exist, especially in academic leadership and research roles. The purpose of our study was to assess the representation of women in authorship roles over a 20-year period.
    Methods: We conducted a systematic review of clinical research studies published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and The Bone and Joint Journal between 1996-2000 and 2016-2020. First, corresponding and last author gender was determined using a combination of automated name analysis and manual searches. We performed chi-squared tests to assess differences in the proportion of women in each authorship position across time periods, journals, and orthopaedic subspecialties.
    Results: Women represented 12.4% of first authors, 8.1% of last authors and 10.5% of corresponding authors. The proportion of women in first and corresponding author positions increased over time (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001 respectively) while there was no difference for last author position (p = 0.572). No differences were found when comparing last authors across the subspecialties (p = 0.149 respectively); however, there was a difference for first and corresponding authors (p = 0.019 and p = 0.024 respectively), with the highest proportion of women reported in general orthopaedics (19.0% and 17.7% respectively) and lowest in sports medicine (8.1%) and lower extremity (6.6%).
    Conclusion: This study found improvements in the representation of women in first and corresponding author roles, however significant gaps remain, particularly in leadership positions represented by last author position. Continued monitoring and intervention are essential to promote long-term, meaningful change in the field.
    Keywords:  Authorship; Gender diversity; Orthopaedic surgery; Systematic review
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s43465-025-01462-x
  19. Bioscience. 2025 Oct;75(10): 820-830
    Where, when, and how FAIR do data from aquatic mesocosm experiments get published?
    Heidrun Feuchtmayr, Kelly Le Quesne, A Katharina Makower.
      We analyzed 192 publications from two EU projects focused on aquatic mesocosm facilities for a) the number of data publications in a repository on its own and the number of data publications associated with a scientific paper, b) the time lag between mesocosm experiments and data or paper publication, and c) adherence of scientific papers to FAIR principles of data publication. More data sets were published alongside scientific papers (103) than in a data repository alone (17). The time lag between experimental end to paper publication (34.9 months) was not significantly different from the time lag between experimental end to data publication (36.7 months). Regarding FAIR principles, 32.6% of papers achieved the highest scores (7 or 8), emphasizing a high data transparency relative to other disciplines. To improve data publications, we recommend increased support (especially for interoperability) for and recognition of researchers, as well as increased efforts by journals, repositories, and funders.
    Keywords:  data availability statement; data on request; environmental data; open access; open science
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf081
  20. Surg Endosc. 2025 Oct 24.
    Cost analysis of research publications and quality improvement initiatives at a tertiary hernia center over four years.
    Gregory T Scarola, Sullivan A Ayuso, Brittany S Mead, Kent W Kercher, Vedra A Augenstein, B Todd Heniford.
       INTRODUCTION: Research publications are fundamental for advancing clinical practice and knowledge in specialized fields such as abdominal wall reconstruction. Understanding the financial requirements for producing high-quality research is important for centers aiming to establish or expand research programs, ensuring long-term sustainability and efficient resource allocation. This study analyzed the financial expenditures related to research publications at a tertiary hernia center over a four-year period ending in 2024.
    METHODS: A cost analysis was conducted for all research publications, including manuscripts submitted to peer-reviewed journals and book chapters. Expenses were categorized into personnel costs, Institutional Review Board (IRB) fees, travel, research study supplies, and publication-specific fees. Costs per year and per publication were calculated.
    RESULTS: The total cost of the research program ranged from $245,546-$319,863 annually, with an average cost of $276,560. Personnel costs account for on average 77% of total program costs. The total number of publications over the four-year period was 72, with 64 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 8 book chapters. Total number of publications per year ranged from 9-29 with an average of 18 publications. The total cost per publication ranged from $9,537-$31,986, with an average of $15,154. The impact factors of journals where peer-reviewed manuscripts were published ranged from 1.00-16.30. The program supported 1 clinical fellow and 1 to 2 research residents annually, which contributed to quality improvement initiatives, significant direct and indirect cost savings, and 7 resident-won national and international research awards over the 4 -year period.
    DISCUSSION: This analysis provides a practical overview of the financial commitment required to support research in a tertiary hernia center. These findings highlight the potential benefits, including quality improvement initiatives, increased departmental visibility gained through publications in high-impact journals, research education for residents, and improvement in resident recruiting.
    Keywords:  Abdominal wall reconstruction; Costs; Hernia; Hernia center; Quality improvement; Research
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-025-12328-6
  21. Am J Clin Oncol. 2025 Oct 23.
    H-Index and Promotion in Academic Radiation Oncology.
    Benjamin K Talom, Christina C Huang, Monique N Westley, Yvonne C Cotterell, Yilun Sun, Reshma Jagsi, Shearwood McClelland.
       OBJECTIVES: Academic promotion in radiation oncology is influenced by multiple factors, including scholarly productivity and demographic characteristics. While citation-based metrics such as the h-index are increasingly used as objective measures of academic output, the impact of demographic factors such as sex and underrepresented minority (URM) status remains inadequately defined. This study represents the first evaluation of the predictive value of h-index, sex, and URM status on academic promotion.
    METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 554 radiation oncologists from 51 NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, initially identified in 2019 (T1) and re-evaluated in 2023 (T2), was assessed. Academic promotion status, h-index (2019), sex, URM status, and institutional affiliation were recorded. A generalized linear mixed model assessed associations between these variables and promotion status, with significance defined as P<0.05.
    RESULTS: The cohort included 203 women (36.7%) and 21 URMs (3.8%); overall, 338 (61%) received promotions between T1 and T2. The mean h-index was 12.3 (median=9), with promoted individuals averaging 15.3 versus 10 for those not promoted. A statistically significant association was found between a higher h-index and promotion (P<0.0001). Further analysis revealed that neither female sex (odds ratio: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.68-1.52; P=0.94) nor URM status (odds ratio: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.19-1.71; P=0.32) was significantly associated with promotion.
    CONCLUSIONS: In the first examination of the impact of h-index on radiation oncology promotion, a higher h-index is a statistically significant predictor of academic promotion among radiation oncologists. Given limited statistical power to detect differences by demographic characteristics and ongoing underrepresentation of certain groups compared with the population, ongoing work to ensure fair access to opportunities for all remains important.
    Keywords:  H-Index; academic productivity; promotion; radiation oncology
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/COC.0000000000001264
  22. J Clin Transl Sci. 2025 ;9(1): e219
    A protocol for tracking scholarly output to evaluate the impact of the RADx-UP program on community-engaged COVID-19 research.
    Valerie A Lucas, Marlena L Kuhn, Kristen D Witkemper, Tara Carr, Abisola Osinuga Snipes, Barrie E Hayes, Michelle Song, Leah Frerichs, Gaurav Dave.
       Introduction: Portfolio-level publication tracking collects research output from related programs. Tracking publications is imperative to evaluate the scholarly impact of a program, synthesize program findings, and document impact to funders. A valid tracking protocol increases data quality for accurate impact assessment, but there is little literature on publication tracking methods appropriate for assessing impact across multiple programs.
    Methods: We tracked, managed, and evaluated publications from the National Institutes of Health-funded Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics - Underserved Populations, which included over 137 projects and a Coordination and Data Collection Center. During the four-year project, we deployed a quarterly self-report survey to project leads and conducted twice-monthly searches for grant-related publications. Search strategies comprised a simple search of project grant numbers and an enhanced search. We evaluated the sensitivity and positive predictive value of search strategies compared to the surveys.
    Results: Compared to the survey, the simple search was 21.5% to 27.4% sensitive with a positive predictive value between 81.1% and 95.8%. The enhanced search was 62.6% to 68.0% sensitive with a positive predictive value between 76.2% and 96.9%. Response rates declined over time from a maximum of 61.3% to a minimum of 32.8%.
    Conclusions: The enhanced search increased specificity in identifying publications, but the survey was necessary to refine strategies and identify missed products. However, the enhanced search may have relieved participant burden in entering citations. These findings may be valuable for coordinating centers, academic departments, working groups, and other academic entities that must quantify the impact of their publications.
    Keywords:  Publication search strategy; coordinating center evaluation; publication evaluation; publication portfolio tracking; publication tracking
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2025.10138
  23. Nature. 2025 Oct 23.
    Google Scholar tool gives extra credit to first and last authors.
    Dalmeet Singh Chawla.
      
    Keywords:  Authorship; Publishing; Research data
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03281-4
  24. Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2025 ;13(9): 586-594
    Iran's Orthopaedic Landscape: Distribution, Per-capita Ratios, Female Inclusion, and Academic Standing among Residents and Surgeons.
    Amir Human Hoveidaei, Mohammad Amin Khadembashiri, Mohammad Reza Ramezanpour, Omid Bahrami, Reza Niakan, Fatemeh Rashidi, Sina Esmaeili.
       Objectives: Iran's orthopaedic surgery care is facing significant challenges due to an aging population and the increasing prevalence of chronic medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, fractures, and trauma. These challenges underscore the pressing need for a more equitable distribution of the orthopaedic workforce. This study aimed to assess the per capita ratios and geographical distribution of orthopaedic surgeons (OSs) in Iran, as well as their distribution in academic and non-academic settings. Additionally, the involvement and scientific productivity of women in orthopaedic s were examined.
    Methods: This study investigated the distribution, per-capita ratios, and academic status of OSs and trainees in Iran, and compared these parameters with those in Turkey and the UK. This study used data from the Islamic Republic of Iran Medical Council, the Iranian Scientometrics Information Database, and the population census to indicate an uneven distribution of OSs across Iran.
    Results: The per capita ratio of OSs in Iran (3.13) is lower than in Turkey (4.00) and the United Kingdom (8.00), highlighting disparities in healthcare infrastructure and economic resources in low-income countries. Notably, 33.6% of Iranian OSs reside in Tehran, contributing to unequal access to care. Furthermore, female representation in orthopaedic s remains limited, with only 3.5% of OSs being women. These academic surgeons have a median H-index of 4, which is lower than that of their counterparts in Canada and the United States.
    Conclusion: The study emphasized the significance of governmental reforms and incentives in promoting equitable distribution, gender diversity, and academic progress within Iran's orthopaedic workforce. Financial incentives, advanced facilities, and career advancement opportunities could enhance academic involvement and diversity. Improving the distribution of surgeons, increasing support for women in orthopaedic, and fostering academic interests are essential steps toward achieving equitable healthcare and boosting scientific output in Iran.
    Keywords:  Gender disparity; Orthopaedic surgeon; Orthopaedic workforce distribution; Orthopaedics
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.22038/ABJS.2025.82716.3767
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